Every Monday, I will answer user submitted questions in a “Mailbox Mondays” post. They don’t have to be about cloth, anything you’d like to ask me is fine! I love to answer cloth questions when asked, but if you’d like your question to be answered in a MM post, send it to Maria at change-diapers.com with “Mailbox Mondays” in the subject.

Sara Says:

Maria,

I’m using cloth wipes full time now, and am wondering if you have any suggestions on where to put them for ease of use and if you use a solution? Right now my wipes are by the bathroom sink where I can get one wet when I need to change someone. It doesn’t work to have them on the changing table (top of the dresser with pad) due to lack of space, boys kicking them off the dresser, etc. I’m always trying to think of different places to do/put things to make it easier. Thanks so much!

~Sara

I think that cloth wipes are a must have when you cloth diaper! When I first switched, I was using up some disposable wipes I had, and what a pain to remember to pick them out and throw them away.

I change most of my son’s diapers downstairs in the family room, so I just keep diapers, wipes and solution on a ledge by the couch.

The wipes are just in a stack, nothing fancy, but you can also fold them to pop up in a wipes container. I made a quick video if you aren’t familiar with how to do it:

Upstairs, I have just a few diapers and a handful of wipes (plus solution) in a drawer. It’s rather messy, I just have them stuffed in where I keep nail clippers, comb etc.

If you don’t have drawer space, and you don’t have space on your dresser/changing table, I love the idea of a small shelf mounted on the wall, right above the dresser/changing table. You can get inexpensive ones that are very basic but do the job, or you can get stylish, decorative ones that match your decor. A small shelf just big enough for a few diapers, wipes and solution can be used later to store knick knacks, keepsakes, stuffed animals or decorations.

Speaking of solutions, I really liked the Thirsties booty luster I reviewed, but I’m cheap frugal, so I’m just reusing the bottle right now. I’ve used booty cubes, Ruby Moon Wipes Bits and Lil Outlaws Rump Solution as well. I use mine in a spray bottle, so my lasts seemingly forever. I’ve used a booty cubes sample pack, I still have some Ruby moon bits left, and I’ve barely made a dent in a single pack of Lil Outlaws bits, so it’s very cost effective for me.

I spray directly on my son, then wipe, so I use very little. Now that it’s gotten cold again, I’ve been spraying the wipes, which takes more solution to get the job done. The cold spray didn’t bother him last year, but it seems to this year! If you make the solution and pour it over your wipes, you will of course need more.

I have seen some amazing setups where people have this beautiful, neatly organized shelf with all of their diapers, covers, prefolds and so forth arranged just so. For me, the best setup/storage is out of reach of my kids!

The FuzziBunz Fleece Changing Pad is made from ultra soft and cushy fleece to provide comfort when changing your baby on the go or at home. The Fleece Changing Pad measures 27.75 in x 18.5 in when open, and folds small so that it fits inside most diaper bags. Materials: 100% microfleece (top layer), 100% polyester laminated (waterproof bottom layer). This was provided courtesy of yours truly.

From Lil’ Outlaws: The original rump solution is an easy-to-use cloth wipes solution, all packed into a convenient little star! Contains: Approximately 48 pieces per order.

Simply add one or more stars (to your preference) to one or more cups of water (depending on how strong you like your solution). Microwave approximately 15 seconds to soften, and stir to dissolve!

Then just apply to your wipes in your favorite manner – I dunk mine, wring them out, and place them in a wipes warmer or travel case. You can also put the solution in a spray bottle or peri bottle to wet wipes as you use them, or pour it over the pile of wipes in the tub or warmer.

Any way you choose to use it, Rump Solution is excellent for messy bums (and hands, and faces, and…)! Great for sensitive skin, too! Thank you to Lil’ Outlaws for offering up this bag free for the giveaway!

Finally, you need something to wipe that tush with!

These adorable wipes were made by Christen at the Almost Heaven Diaper Company. They have a cute heart print on brushed cotton on top, and coordinating colors of minky on the back. They’re approximately 8″ x 8″ (perfect to fit in a wipe warmer) and they’re so soft and squishy, I wanted to nuzzle them on my face. Don’t worry, I resisted the urge!

Christen also makes baby legs, mama cloth, and is working on newborn diapers right now. Though Almost Heaven Diaper Company doesn’t have an online presence just yet, you can contact Christen at justpeachee22 at yahoo dot com for more information on her products. Thank you Christen for providing these wipes for the giveaway for free!

Want it? Win it!

To enter: 1. Go to Lil’ Outlaws and tell me what product and scent you’re most interested in.2. Follow my blog (current followers count). Comment that you’re following to get your entry.3. Fan me on Facebook (current fans count). Comment that you’re a fan to get your entry.4. Fan Lil’ Outlaws on Facebook (current fans count). Comment that you’re a fan to get your entry.

You may be noticing I’m not offering entries for blogging or posting about my giveaway. I would love you forever if you did, but I don’t want to risk being all “spammy.” So in exchange for posting or blogging about my giveaway, you get my undying gratitude only. <3 I may change that in the future, I’m not sure.

Make sure to leave your email address if it’s not in your profile please.

Entries will be accepted until Thursday, April 15th, 2010 at 9 P.M. EST.

I’ll choose a number with random.org’s True Random Number Generator and contact the winner.

Thank you to Lil’ Outlaws and Almost Heaven Diaper Company for making this giveaway possible!

I love using my cloth wipes. Right now I’m just using some burp cloths I cut and zigzagged, but I’d like to buy a nice, fluffy stack of cloth wipes soon! I had been wanting to try Lil’ Outlaws Rump Solution for a while, and I finally bought some!

There are tons of fragrance options, though every scent isn’t always in stock, so check on the product’s fragrance drop down. I chose Baby Bee, a guaranteed in stock fragrance described as “a fragrance cocktail of luscious fruits such as peaches, mandarin oranges, coconut pulp, bergamot, grapefruit, tropical guava, and tangy lemons.”

You can choose normal, light or extra light fragrance strength, heavy for .50 extra, or extra heavy for $1.00 extra. I chose the extra light strength.

Even so, my package smelled great as I carried it from the mailbox. It came really fast!

You get approximately 48 pieces for $10.50, and shipping is always free. I got exactly 48.

Here are the instructions from the site:

Simply add one or more stars (to your preference) to one or more cups of water (depending on how strong you like your solution). Microwave approximately 15 seconds to soften, and stir to dissolve!

Then just apply to your wipes in your favorite manner – I dunk mine, wring them out, and place them in a wipes warmer or travel case. You can also put the solution in a spray bottle or peri bottle to wet wipes as you use them, or pour it over the pile of wipes in the tub or warmer.

Any way you choose to use it, Rump Solution is excellent for messy bums (and hands, and faces, and…)! Great for sensitive skin, too!

I prefer to use my solution in a spray bottle. It takes me nearly 2 weeks to go through a cup of solution, making this very cost effective! .

I use distilled water and 1 piece of solution per cup.

The star dissolved with just a few seconds of microwaving, so it could be used right away. The cubes I’ve been using until now take lots of microwaving, stirring and cooling before dissolved and ready to use.

I had enough solution to fill my spray bottle and also my travel bottle.

I have the extra stars in a drawer and the scent is strong enough that I get a whiff when I walk by. Mixed, the extra light strength is mild, but still pleasant.

The solution cleans well and doesn’t cause any irritation on my son’s hiney. His skin is fairly sensitive; he gets a rash with angry red welts from disposables. If your little one is very sensitive, you can get unscented solution.

Want some? Buy a bag or a sampler pack, which includes a 6 load bag of Detergent, 2 oz of Pail Pardner, a generous sample pouch of Rump Rub, and 5 pieces of Rump Solution.

Want to win it? Stay tuned for a great giveaway later this week, which includes a full size bag of Texas Ranger Rump Solution!

I started by soaking them in bac out and lil outlaws most of the day. Then I did a cold heavy duty wash with a 3 hour soak and extra rinse. I followed that up with a hot heavy duty wash with an extra warm rinse.

Then, it was just me and the inserts. My diapers hung over the washing machine and the inserts gave them a panicked look. They should know better than to mess with me!

Next…yeah, I did it. I heard tiny, stinky screams as I plunged the inserts into boiling water. (Don’t try this at home kiddos!)

I filled the washer with hot water, lil outlaws, and bac out (put in the liquid pre-treat dispenser). I added the inserts and boiling water, plus an extra 7 quarts of boiling water. I closed the lid and gave one more loathsome and triumphant look at the washing machine before turning off the light and heading upstairs.

As the inserts lay stewing and thinking about what they did, I lay thinking about my HE washer. I love it, except for those cases where I want to be able to add more water. I heard some people say they tried to dump additional water in, but the washer sensed it and drained it out. Mine doesn’t do that, but it’s a pain to try to fill a pot and dump it in the washer.

Then, it hit me!

Aha!

This morning, I ran another heavy duty cycle with an extra warm rinse and added extra water from the utility sink. In the last rinse, I still noticed some residue on the surface of the water, so I did ANOTHER heavy duty wash with a double warm rinse, and I added extra water to the wash and the rinse. I didn’t add any detergent or additive, just water, water and more water!

After all that, I’m still noticing sudsy-ish residue on the surface of the water during agitation (I think I was able to capture it in a photo). So, another cycle.

The only problem is that I’m down to my last clean diaper. The diapers are all dry, so if this wash does it, I can have the inserts dry in time for the next diaper change. If I have to wash any more, I will have to put him in a disposable. Ick. (Had to do it since he pooped as soon as I put the last clean one on him. *sigh*)

I’ve tossed around the idea of bleaching them to really kill all the ickies, but I think as long as I’m still getting stuff out of the inserts with hot water, they are still going to stink.

I think I’m just going to continue rinsing until I see NO residue, or until I run our well dry. Whichever comes first, hee-hee.

I’ve been rinsing all day, I’m going to let them soak overnight and rinse some more tomorrow. I did discover that more water does not equal better though. Adding enough extra to completely cover the diapers is good, but adding too much means the agitator dealie at the bottom of the washer doesn’t draw the stuff at the top of the washer down as much.

I hope I get this resolved soon because his hiney is so red with raised welts from the sposies.

P.S. I did try one on him this afternoon about 4 rinses ago (LOL) and it still smelled like ammonia, but not in the make your eyes water way it did before.

P.P.S. Please learn from my mistake and be very cautious with stripping if you have an HE washer/soft water. It totally slipped my mind that if I have trouble getting shampoo out of my hair in our soft water, the soap may leave residue instead of removing it.

Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 11, 7 and 4 year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. Read More »